Door latch



Jan, 1; 1924 1,479,117

I R. F. TRIMMER 7 DOOR LATCH File'd Oct. 19, 1921 few Tamm Patente is.i, 1924.-

' with? TA RAY TRIMMER, OF EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DOOR LATCH.

Application filed October 19, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAY F TRIMMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at East Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in a Door Latch, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is particularly concerned with improvements in a doorlatch wherein a pivoted latch on one member is arranged to be held inengagement with a keeper on another member by spring tension in thelatch member.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of such a latcliwhich may be constructed entirely of stampings, whereby the time forproduction is materially reduced and the ultimate cost iscorrespondingly diminished. In this connect-ion, my inventioncontemplates the provision of alatching fea ture, which automaticallyretains the lever in position, when it is forced behind the keeper butstill permits it to be readily removed by a slight pressure exerted onthe handle.

Still another object is the provision of very simple locking ears forenabling the latch to be permanently locked by a padlock to the keeperwhen the latch is forced behind the keeper.

The means for carrying out the above objects will be fully set forth inthe following description which relates to the drawings,

and the essential features of my invention will be summarized in theclaims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of a latch embodying features ofmy invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken through the centerof the latch; Figs. 3 and 4 are sections taken on the lines 33, and 4-4:respectively in Fig. 1.

In the various figures, I have shown a latch 10 pivoted at 11 above aplate 12, which in turn may be secured to the closure 13. The free endof the latch extends beyond the plate 12 and across the plate 14, whereit cooperates with a keeper 15 that is secured to a door jamb 16, or toanother closure, as the case may be. My invention resides primarily inthe construction of the various coacting elements for permitting them tobe stamped from sheet metal, but still enabling them to retain thestrength and rigidity necessary for a latch of this character.

Serial No. 508,675.

The plate 12, in addition to providing a bearing for the pivot member 11also constitutes a means for limiting the movement of the latch as isshown by the bar 20, which is struck up from the plate 1.2 so as topermit the latch to slide therethrough. The end portions of this bar 20,being integral with the plate 12, therefore limit the angular movementof the latch.

The keeper 15 is similarly arranged to be stamped from the sheet metalplate 14 and comprises an L shaped member behind which the latch 10 maybe locked. For enabling the spring tension in the lever 10 to maintainthe latch in engagement with the keeper, I provide a raised portion 21which serves as a fulcrum. This fulcrum extends the entire width of theplate and provides a bearing surface upon which the latch may be slid,and simultaneously sprung, out of its nor mal plane. In this way thespring tension in the latch urges it against the keeper.

To secure the latch against possible jarring when positioned behind thekeeper I provide a lock in the form of a cooperating button 22, andrecess 23, on the keeper and latch respectively. Both the button andrecess may be formed in their respective members during the stampingoperation, and may be so. positioned that they are brought intooperative relation when the latch is swung about the pivot 11.

Further means for retaining the latch in engagement with the keeper isembodied in the upstanding portions or ears 25 and 26, on the latch andkeeper plates, respectively. These portions are integral With the latchand keeper plates, and are formed therefrom during the stampingoperation. Each of the ears are provided with openings which are inregistration when the latch is locked, whereby a padlock may be readilyemployed for maintaining the latch in locked position.

The spring tension in the latch 10, above referred to, may be securedwithout destroying the elastic properties of the metal, by stamping alongitudinal rib 27 along that portion which passes beneath the member20 and above the bearing surface 21. In this way satisfactory resultsmay be secured without employing spring steel which requires additionalheat treatment for obtaining the desired resilient properties.

The operation of a latch constructed according to my invention is asfollows: As-

suming that the closure member 13 has been brought adjacent the member16, then the operator grasps the handle 80 and swings the latch upwardlyabout the pivot 11 until it clears the top of the keeper 15; Wherenponthe handle is pressed inwardly, and sprung over the bearing surface 21,until the plane of the latch is behind the plane of the keeper 15, andthen the latch is forced downwardly until the recess 23 is snapped overthe button 22. Then the latch is in this position, the-ears 25 and 26are adjacent each other and the openings therein are in registration, sothat a padlock may be used to lock the latch to the keeper plate.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided alatch construction which enables the various parts to be formed ofstampings whereby the cost of production is materially decreased, and inaddition that I have provided locking parts which may be formedintegrally with the latch and keeper during the stamping operation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a latcharm, of a keeper therefor, plates for the latch arm and keeperrespectively, one of said plates having a loop struck upwardly therefromfor limiting movement of the latch arm, and the other of said plateshaving a bearing surface struck upwardly therefrom and extendingtransversely of the latch arm and comprising a fulcrumtherefor, saidkeeper having an inwardly extending protuberance and said latch armhaving a recess cooperating with said protuberance for locking the latcharm to the keeper when said latch arm is constrained over said fulcrum.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a latcharm having an outwardly projecting rib extending longitudinally andalong the central portion thereof, a supporting plate for said arm, saidplate having a loop struck upwardly from one end thereof for engagingthe rib and limiting the movement of the latch arm, another plate spacedopposite the latch plate, a keeper and a bearing surface on said lastmentioned plate, said keeper and hearing surface being struck upwardlyfrom the plate, and the body portion of the latch arm being inengagement with said bearing surface to place the latch arm under strainwhen in engagement with the keeper, and a cooperating shoulder andrecess on the keeper and latch respectively, for holding them inengagement with each other.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

RAY F. TRIMMER.

